Have you ever thought of buying a car instead of renting one? If this is the case, I have some valuable car buying tips for you.

You don’t want to find out after arriving in Toronto, that you can’t insure a car in Ontario unless you have an Ontario driver licence. Planning is the key and knowing the different laws between provinces is important.

There is no better way to travel in Canada than having your own wheels. Owning a vehicle lets you explore places off-the-beaten-track. You save money on tour operators, buses, and domestic flights. Cheap accommodation is guaranteed if you camp on the way.

If you travel solo, bus, train and plane travel might work out better for you. Hitchhiking is another option if you really want to rough it and your travel budget is very minimal. And don’t forget about Ride Share in Canada., another option to consider.

To buy a car in Canada instead of renting a car makes sense if you come to Canada for a longer period of time, like on a working holiday visa. In my opinion, you have to stay at least two months to make it worthwhile. For a shorter time than that, you are probably better off to chose some other options. Make sure to read all the car buying tips for tourists and also check out the official provincial websites for current information.

Car rental prices can be quite reasonable if you just want to rent a vehicle for a couple of weeks. Look out for private car rental places where you pick-up and drop-off the car at the same place. Of course, this doesn’t work if you want to drive across the whole country.

I hope the following car buying tips will help you with your car purchase.

Buying A Car In Canada As A Tourist

First, decide how much time you have for your Canada road trip and which provinces you would like to see. How easy it will be to buy a car, get insurance and resell it before leaving the country will depend on the location.

It is important to know that each province has its own regulations and they vary tremendously.

It is totally legal for a foreigner to purchase a vehicle in Canada, even as a tourist. To get car insurance is another matter. Some provinces let you drive with a foreign driver’s license for three months, other provinces for a year. In Ontario and Alberta, you can’t get insurance unless you have a Canadian driver’s license. Make sure to check out the appropriate website for the province of your choice.

What Vehicle Are You Looking For

This is one of my most important car buying tips I suggest first. Do some research and get an idea of what you want. The type of vehicle to buy will depend on what roads you are planning to travel and whether you want to use it for sleeping. You have many options. Cars, trucks, vans, RVs, they all have their advantages and disadvantages.

Do you NEED a 4WD? (if you are travelling to the Northern Provinces I would suggest you do)

Are you looking for a camper van or a small SUV, or a truck with a canopy?

Do you want a vehicle you can sleep in?

What is your budget?

Tips For Finding A Vehicle

There are lots of resources available to find used vehicles. Many of us drive our cars until the car floors are rusted through and it gets too expensive to repair. Because we are allowed to drive the old wrecks, there are lots of old cars out there for sale.

Check the local newspaper – in the classified section, you will find lots of vehicles for sale.

Autotrader.ca – This is Canada’s largest auto classifieds site for new and used cars for sale.

Kijiji.ca – Free classifieds Marketplace in Canada with a large ‘Vehicles For Sale’ section.

Bulletin boards – Backpacker hostels and ski resorts. Somebody might want to sell a car in a hurry and you might find the perfect bargain.

Buying a vehicle privately can save you money. You can try to make a lower offer and some sellers will accept it. It just depends on how desperate the seller wants to sell. With private sales, you won’t get any warranty and you are buying “as is”. If the vehicle breaks down a few days later, the seller can’t be held liable.

Another option is to go to a dealership. This way you might get a limited warranty, and the dealer will assist you with all the paperwork. However, buying a car from a dealership will definitely be more expensive.

How Much Do You Have To Spend

Some car buying tips on prices: You might be lucky to pick up an old rig for $500. Unless you are mechanically inclined it might not be a good choice. Our towns are far apart and to get a tow truck could be a long wait, and a big expense.

Spending between $2,000 and $4,000 will get you a decent vehicle and probably much fewer headaches. In this price range, you can find reliable cars or vans in good condition.

Transfer Of Ownership

Once you find the perfect vehicle, ownership has to be transferred into your name. Most times the seller has the appropriate form already, otherwise, you can get it from the provincial road registry (ICBC, MTO, SAAQ, etc) or any Autoplan broker. You also will get a bill of sale from the seller.

Both the seller and buyer have to fill out the transfer/tax form and sign it.

You will have to pay tax on the amount you purchased the vehicle for and fill in the purchase amount on the transfer/tax form. It seems to be a normal practice to put down a lower purchase price on the transfer form to save some money on the tax. However, this might affect the amount of money you receive from the insurance if you ever have to make a claim.

To complete the transfer, take these documents to an Autoplan broker. I strongly recommend going together with the seller.

In British Columbia, you can get the vehicle registered, licensed and insured at the brokers at the same time. For other provinces inquire about the steps to take.

Registration

Vehicles from different province might need to go through a safety inspection before you can register it. The inspection really should be done by the seller before he is trying to sell it. An inspection might also be required for vehicles which haven’t been registered for a while. In this case, you might be required to do some costly repairs to the vehicle before you can drive it. Be sure to check this out before you buy!

In British Columbia’s Lower Mainland (Vancouver) and Fraser Valley, vehicles also need to undergo emissions testing. A very old vehicle may not pass this test. In this case, you may want to go to a rural place to register.

License Plates

In Canada license plates don’t come with the vehicle and belong to the seller. If you let the car insurance expire, you can keep the old plates and will get new ones when you get new insurance. That’s why you see all these old license plates pinned to walls and Canadian Outhouses.

This means, the seller will take off his license plates and you will get new plates when you go to register the vehicle.

Car Buying Tips on Insurance

Vehicle insurance is mandatory in Canada. Each province has their own insurance providers and prices vary. For the bare minimum, you will need third party liability insurance. Options for collision and comprehensive can be added to that.

British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec insurance providers are government agencies.

One of my favourite car buying tips I give to tourists: Think about starting your trip in British Columbia and buying a car will be nearly hassle-free. Like in all the other provinces you will need a local address. Think about volunteering as a WWOOfer for a few weeks at the beginning of your trip. I’m sure the hosts will let you use their address in exchange for your hard work.

In British Columbia, you can get car insurance with your home country driving license. If you have the claim history letter from the auto insurance company from your home country, you can get a discount on the insurance. In British Columbia, you can buy a 3-month, 6-month or 12-month insurance policy. You can cancel the policy and you will get a refund minus the cancellation fee.

That is different in Ontario. You might abandon the idea of buying and insuring a car in Ontario when you find out that in order to insure a car in Ontario you Need an Ontario driver’s licence and the process is more complicated. For more information check out this Ontario Website.

Alberta has a similar policy; go to the AMA website for detailed information.

Be sure to check out the official website for the province of your choice.

Driver Licence

Each province has its own licensing procedures. You can drive a rented car in all of Canada for a certain amount of time if you have an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) issued in your country. After that you have to apply for a local driver licence from the province you are in (not necessary where the vehicle is registered). In some provinces, you can exchange your foreign driver’s licence for a provincial one, but you won’t get your foreign licence back when you leave Canada.

In British Columbia, you can drive with the driver’s licence of your country as long as it is in English or French and you don’t need to have an IDP. There might be other provinces who accept your home country driver licence, I didn’t check on that.

Check the vehicle before you buy

Just because you think that you are getting a good deal doesn’t mean the car will survive the road trip you planned. Before you buy, I suggest you check some basics.

Tire tread – Bald tires are not safe

Spare tire, wheel wrench, and jack – Make sure they come with the vehicle

Colour or exhaust fumes – black smoke means it’s burning oil

Oil level – Check using the dipstick prior to buying

Coolant levels – If coolant low, the engine has been running hot, and that’s not good.

Headlights – Low and high beam – both have to be working, you will need them.

Breaks – Test how responsive they are and listen to grinding sounds. Bad news!

Turn signals and hazard lights – Make sure they work.

Leaks – Check the place where the car was parked for wet spots.

Kilometres – Old vehicles in Canada have lots. Whether this is a problem depends mostly on the type of engine. My RAV4 has over 250,000 km at the time of writing and my next road trip will be long and rough! (I trust my Toyota!)

Loose belts – Check for tightness and cracks.

If the vehicle passes this checklist, you might have found a good one. It is always a good idea to take your new vehicle to a mechanic for a tune-up and oil change. It will cost some money, but you might save money and headaches down the road.

Driving in Canada

Driving in Canada might be more relaxing than what you are used to from your home country. Make sure you learn about the Canadian driving practices before hitting the road.

Be prepared to drive long distances in this huge country of ours. The distance from the east to the west coast is more than 7,000 km, can you imagine!

Winter Driving

The winter climate in Canada can be brutal, road conditions terrible and temperatures freezing cold. I don’t suggest road tripping and living out of a van during the winter months between November to March; unless of course, your vehicle is built for it with excellent insulation and a heater to keep you from freezing at night. Winter tires are required and could set you back financially a few hundred Dollars.

Time your road trip in Canada to avoid winter. The only road trip I suggest you do in winter is to the Yukon or Northwest Territories to see the Northern lights and travel on ice roads for a once in a lifetime arctic experience.

Canadian Wildlife

Wildlife is a common cause of accidents in Canada. Canada is home to a lot of wild animals and to hit one can be very dangerous. People are killed every year because of Moose running into their vehicle. Watch out for wildlife when you drive, slow down and keep safe on your Canada road trip.

Learn about our wildlife before you start your journey. Make sure you know the difference between grizzly bears and black bears and act accordingly if you encounter one.

Break Downs And Road Assistant

Car buying tips for safety: I recommend to sign-up with CAA (Canadian Automobile Association) for their roadside assistance program. In British Columbia it is BCAA. The premier membership is what you want. You only have to call them for help once and your membership is paid for, it is totally worth it. If you stop by their office you can get free maps. I highly recommend it!

Keep the following numbers handy, you will use them if you ever get stranded.

1 800 CAA HELP / 1 800 222 4357 FREE or *222 on your cell phone (CAA Emergency Roadside Assistance). If you are a member, costs won’t be an issue. CAA will tow your vehicle to the closest shop.

How to find a mechanic

Breaking down in a foreign city can be very frustrating. Here a few tips for you:

If you get CAA ask them where you can find a mechanic

Call ‘0’ on any touch-tone phone to speak to a local operator, or dial ’00’ for a long distance operator. They should be able to help.

Check the Yellow Pages if you are lucky you find a phone book at a public payphone. Look for automotive or mechanic to find businesses willing to help. If it’s a weekend or public holiday you will be out of luck and have to stick around for a few days.

Try a gas station if you can get there, they sometimes can find somebody to help out. Canadians are generally friendly and helpful!

Selling Your Vehicle After The Trip

Your Canadian road trip adventure is coming to an end. You made it and so did your car, and it’s still in reasonable shape. Selling a car is similar to the buying process, only this time you are the seller. Be fair with the price, especially if you don’t have a lot of time left before your flight out. Don’t expect to get the same amount you paid, be realistic. Selling the car for half of what you paid is still a good deal for you. You have put a few thousand kilometres on it, so the money you loose on the car is your transportation cost.

Give yourself at least a couple of weeks to sell the car.

Important Note: If you bought the vehicle in a different province, it might need a safety inspection before it can be registered again. Make sure you check on that.

Attach a For Sale sign on the car window. Make a poster with details and price and hang it on bulletin boards in hostels and coffee shops. Post on Facebook and social media. Advertise via autotrader.com and local online websites.

What do you do if you don’t find a buyer? Well, you have two options:

Take it to a scrap yard and if you are lucky they will give you some money for it.

You can offer it to another traveller for FREE (or very cheap). This way I’m sure you will find a taker for your car.

When it’s all done be happy and don’t be a prude about the money you lost on the vehicle. Think about your amazing Canada road trip and how it was totally worth it and that it was money well spent. Just remember that bus companies and airlines don’t pay any money back, there are no refunds. Buying a vehicle is kind of nice that way, there is a chance to get some money back.

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Yrene lives in Lumby British Columbia, Canada, and is the founder of BackcountryCanadaTravel.com. She was born in Switzerland, lived and worked on different continents and has travelled the world. Yes, that's me, an Entrepreneur, wilderness nut and animal lover. I write about things I love. Mostely.

Yrene Dee

Hello Christophe, I would have to know a bit more what you are looking for, how old a car, and how much you want to spend. Dodge, Honda, GM, they all have pretty good names in Canada and most of them are all All-Wheel-Drives and easy to get parts for. Good tires are very important! Would be advisable to have it checked by a mechanic before you buy. Let me know if you need more advise.
Yrene

kerry c

I wish we’d come across this 4 years ago when we bought our vehicle in Alberta. Never try to insure a vehicle in Alberta!. It’s cost us the best part of $3k every year since to insure it and the insurance operator (not mentioning any names here) gets more unhelpful each year. This year we are registering our car in BC as that’s where our holiday home is and we’ll just leave the car garaged when we’re not here. In BC, the local ICBC office couldn’t have been more helpful and didn’t need loads of paperwork to insure our car. This year our insurance quote was a third of the price and has been so easy to arrange – we were treated like human beings in BC and every member of staff we spoke to with our questions was knowledgeable and helpful. The info on this site is accurate, even down to the 3, 6 or 12 month insurance options that BC offer. Thanks for providing such accurate info and making the minefield of car insurance in Canada very easy to follow.

Nicolas

I am currently studying in Ottawa and plan to make a road trip across the USA and Canada once my classes are done. I found a camper van in Montréal and could use an address in the province of Quebec as my permanent address. Would it be possible for me to buy it even if I don’t have my International Driver’s Permit yet?

I’m glad you find the information helpful, that keeps me inspired.
To use the licence from your country it has to be either in English or French, otherwise you will need an International Driver’s permit to register the car. I wouldn’t rush into buying a car in another province, before you talk to an insurance company for details. Buying a car and transferring ownership is usually not the problem, but you want to be sure that you can get insurance for it.
Regards,
Yrene

Laura

Thank you for your helpfull information.
I guess the rules will also aply for a camper?
Do you know if it is possible to lengthen your insurrance if you in the united states.
Our plan is buying a camper in bc drive around for 3 months(because of the visa) then cross border to the us and drive around there for a year(aparently it is impossible to buy a camper in the us as a foreigner) and after that year go back to canada and sell the camper(if it survives the trip) in bc.
So we need probably insurance for 1,5 years.

Lookin forward to your answer.
Now i will first enjoy your other posts 🙂

Hello Laura,
I’m glad you find my information useful, which inspires me to write more articles. As far as I know the rules also apply for campers. I suggest you buy insurance for 3 months for travelling in Canada and renew with ICBC for one year before leaving for the US, and renew again when you come back to Canada. Renewing your policy with ICBC has to be done in person or with an authoriziation signature. Can you get a 1-year visa for the US?
Happy travelling,

Yrene

Patrick

Hi Yrene,
thanks so much for these helpful information. We’re planning to travel from Vancouver to Chile. Do you know if it’s possible to buy and insure a car (an old volkswagen t3) as a tourist in Vancouver even though you won’t return to Canada again with this car?

Hello Patrick,
Insuring the car should be no problem, as long as you get the transfer papers signed and have an address in Canada you can use. How it works with getting rid of the car in Chile I don’t know. Just let the insurance expire when you’re there. Confirm with ICBC in Vancouver.
Have an amazing trip!

Willem Max

Hi Patrick,
We’re almost doing the same trip but than from Canada to Argentina. We fly to Vancouver on the 18th of July. I find it quit hard to sort everything out from registration to insurance. That’s why I was curious how far you guys are?

Janko

Hi Yrene, thank you very much for these informations!
We’re planning to buy a van where it’s the most easier in Canada as foreigners. We will register it, insure it and after a long trip through Canada from east to west, we’ll head to the south. We have some friends in Québec who might help us for the address and furthermore, we’ll have to spend time to convert the van into a camper before leaving Montreal. Knowing this, what would be the best option for us? Should we buy, register and insure a van in Québec? Or is there a better advice you can give us?
All the best from France!

Hello Janko,
Thanks you for contacting me. Each Province and Territory has its own regulations. I know for sure, that BC is the easiest place to buy a car as a tourist. You can exchange your driver’s license for a Canadian one to get cheaper insurance. Insurance from Canada also covers the US. I suggest you get your friends in Quebec to find out details for you. Buying and selling in the same province is recommended, out of province you need to have a vehicle safety inspection done. I hope this helps!

Janine

Good morning. We are a family of 4 looking to travel canada, states and cntrl &sth america. It looks easier to purchase a rv in canada, so we will. My question is, to buy a rv in BC do we need a permanent address? If, how do you, ahem, aquire one? Thx for your information, you saved our trip! Your blog is the only uptodate info i could find and lets just say when we fly i to the US 20 jan 2018 we will be heading straight for Canada! Thx janine

Yes, you will need an address in BC to insure any vehicle. Do you know anybody in BC? Maybe you’ll book an Airbnb or some other accommodation while you are looking for an RV and they will let you use their address. I can’t see this being a problem, Canadians are a friendly and helpful folk.

Holly

This is such a helpful blog, thank you! I am planning on driving across canada with my working holiday visa – I just have one question about licenses, if I bring my UK license and buy a car and insurance in BC, do I need to exchange my UK driving license for a BC one, and is that then valid across other provinces? Or would my UK one be valid across other provinces too? Thank you!

Yrene Dee

Hello Holly, I’m glad the information is useful. If you’re a visitor, you can drive in B.C. for up to 6 months with a valid driver licence from your country. If you stay in Canada longer than 6 months you will have to get a Canadian Driver’s licence. The easiest way to do this is to exchange your UK Licence for a BC license, but you won’t get your licence back when you leave the country. As long as you have a BC address and insuranse on the car you won’t have problems travelling across other provinces. But note, every province has different regulations and they vary a lot. Selling a car in a different province can be a problem. When you register the car find out all the details and tell ICBC your plans. If you do change your licence to a BC licence you will get cheaper insurance. Also, bring along your insurance records from home.
I just started a Backcountry Canada Travel Facebook Group; please join the group and you can ask any Canada related questions. https://www.facebook.com/groups/backcountrycanadatravel/
I hope this helps!

Darren H

We are flying into Vancouver in the Summer and driving to Ontario. My wife is Canadian and has a Ontario driving licence, I am British with a German Driving licence. We come to Canada regularly and have rented for years, but we think it would be better to get a nice car and keep it after this road trip. Can we buy it in BC and register it in Ontario? or would it be better to register it in BC and then change it to Ontario when we finish our trip?

Also we have friends in Nelson BC, can we use their address even if we buy the car in Vancouver?

Thanks for the help

Darren

Yrene Dee

Hi Darren,
I think the easiest would be to use your friend’s address in Nelson and get BC insurance. To get the car insured in Ontario later on, you most probably have to get a car inspection done because you bought it out of province, so that might cost you a bit. If you can bring an insurance paper from home to proof your driving record, you can save some money. Insurance will be more if you don’t have a BC licence. You could exchange your British one (and apply for a new one when you get home).
Yes, you will be able to use your friend’s address.
I hope this helps, otherwise get back to me.

Evandro

Hi! I’m from Brazil and I’m planning to travel through Canada for 6 months and maybe more 6 months through a part of USA. The information is very divergent on all the sites I’m looking for, could you help me with some questions?

From what I understand it is possible to buy a car in Canada being a foreigner but the insurance is complicated, right?

1 – The British Columbia is the least complex and cheaper province of Canada for a foreign person buy and insure a car? If not, what Province do you recommend?
2 – To insure the car I need a local Canadian address, a valid driver’s license in English?
3 – Do you have any idea about how much I’ll spend with the car’s documents and insurance for 6 months, considering a cheap used car?

Thank you!

Yrene Dee

Hello Evandro,
Every province in Canada has its own car insurance policies which makes it difficult to give specific answers. British Columbia ICBC is a government operation, in Alberta and Ontario, it is private. The car buying process in BC seems to be pretty easy and for registration and insurance, you only have to go to one office (ICBC). Cost of the insurance will depend on your age (expensive under 25) and your driving record if you can bring it from home. Yes, you will need a Canadian address. Please read my blog for suggestions. If your driver’s licence from home is not in English, bring an International Driving Permit along with your licence and you will be fine.
Check out http://www.icbc.com/autoplan/Pages/Default.aspx for up-to-date info. I hope this helps and good luck!

Renee

I wondered whether you could advise me on the time it takes to get a Canadian drivers license?
Here in New Zealand it takes 10–14 days for the licensing authority to send you your physical license in the mail once you’ve sat the test and completed the paperwork etc. Should I expect the same wait time in Canada?

I plan on staying in a hostel while I get these things sorted out so I’ll need to factor in enough time when I book accomodation. Thanks a lot 🙂

Yrene Dee

Hello Renee,
Thanks for the note. If you bring our NZ driver’s licence you will be able to exchange it to a Canadian one. You will get a temporary licence right away and the official one they will send by mail. At least in BC and Alberta it’s like that. Might take a week or two I guess. You always can leave a forwarding address (Main Post Office of a town you go to) at the hostel and I’m sure they will send it on to you. As long as you have the temporary licence you will be fine. I always suggest to bring an International licence as well.
I hope this helps.

Raj Sharma

That’s an amazing article for the people who are confused about which car to buy and from where to buy while planing a trip to Canada. I would definitely recommend this article to my friends.And this article will help me a lot in future as i as I am planning a trip to Canada.

Hessen in Toronto

I’m a German citizen and living in the GTA right now and have just got my license swapped. You need a paper from the embassy, a translation and 90 Dollars to get a license swapped into a full G license here. I was car hunting by time to time and wrote to people on Kijiji to buy a car. Then a few weeks ago, I managed to get my foot down on an used Jetta. The thing with Ontario is that the car needs to be certified that it runs and is safe to drive. These are really rare. Some are sold “as is”. Car insurance hunting is a good task for a broker. Most webforms are useless for foreign buyers. You can waste your time with getting quotes from a call centre. Get. A. Broker.

Well. Vehicle transfer requires a lot of paper work. Be prepared to pay a lot of money at service Ontario for just transfering and getting a plate and stickers.

malcolm haviland

Hi,
If I purchased a Canadian car that has a rebuilt title,would I be able to tour Canada then cross the border into US and carry on touring?
I looked at the US border site and I don’t think you can import a car with a salvage or rebuilt title, but if you own the car, can you still use in US for personal use while there?
thanks for any replies Mal

Yrene Dee

Gerard Vriend

Hello Yrene, We come from Holland and bought a car in BC. How does it work to get my own car plates? Can i write my own letters? Can i take them to Holland afterwards? We will travel 2 months and need to sell it afterwards. This information is very usefull, thank you.

Yrene Dee

Best way to keep your licence plate is to let the insurance expire, so you don’t need a refund and you just keep your plate. The person you sell the car to will have to get his own plate anyway. A personalized plate costs $100 and ICBC where you insure the car has a form available for that.
I hope this helps!

jelle de bock

Brilliant page and great info! Thank you! I have got friends in BC, could I buy a car and have it registered en insured on their name? In other words; can I drive a car registered and insured on someone else (local) name? And would that be cheaper than on my own name?

Yrene Dee

Yes you can do this, but it means you’re using your friend’s insurance and if you have a claim, his insurance will sky rock, so maybe not a good idea. Depending on your age, your friend may need additional insurance to cover you, but BCAA will tell you about all this. I wouldn’t go this route, unless it’s only for a short trip. If you decide to do it anyways, make sure to write up a contract between yourself and your friend.

Yahya Alfayfi

Hi,
I’m a tourist in Toronto for the summer time. I would like to buy a car from Toronto but I have International driver licence only. Do I am able to buy a car and drive it with international driver licence only.
Thanks

Yrene Dee

I have a feeling that you also will need an original driver’s licence from the country you are from, which you may have to exchange for an Ontario licence to get insurance. Please find out at an Ontario brokers office to be sure.

Joseph Makarian

i am selling truck and camper to German citizen in Alberta and they go traveling one month or more in Canada.
they can use my address.
to obtain registration in Alberta they need also Alberta short insurance.
My Question is where Is possble get insurance in Alberta for visitors?

Adude

I’m travelling to Canada pretty soon and plan on buying a car in Montreal to road trip to Vancouver. I don’t have a permanent address however and was wondering if I could still get insurance. Also, do I have to get the insurance before registering?

Archie

Thanks for a very helpful article. I was wondering if you could recommend a province (as Easterly as possible!) that is easiest to buy (and insure) a vehicle as a foreign citizen (United Kingdom), as it seems that Ontario is the most painful! I am on the 2 year Work Visa and am flying into Toronto having planned to do a 2 month East to West road trip, ultimately ending up in BC where I intend to find work and settle.

At the moment, I am reluctantly looking at renting a vehicle for the trip and then buying in BC, which is going to be costly/prohibitive considering I want to be able to live in the vehicle during the trip. If I were to pursue buying a vehicle, I presume I would be unable to buy a car in Ontario and register and insure it in BC?

Any help with this conundrum would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

Yrene Dee

Ontario is definitely not the easiest place to buy a car and get car insurance. To “import” it to BC will cost you extra and you will have to put the car through a certification test in BC and fix everything they tell you before you can register and injure it here. Find out details once you arrive in the country and then decide. Bring all your insurance history from home.

Yrene Dee

Nick, just use the address of the hostel or hotel you’re staying at when you arrive. As long as you have an address that should work. Before you can register your vehicle and get your license plates or temporary permit you most probably must purchase car insurance. Find out the information once you arrive and let us know in the comment section how it went. Good luck!

Raymond Howard

Thanks for your great article ! We hope to buy a motorhome next year in Vancover and travel for 3 to 6 months exploring Canada and USA. We have just completed 2 months this year in a motorhome that we purchased in England as well as 3 months the previous year 2017. Most of the time it was wild camping and it saved us a fortune. Will follow your site from now onwards ! We are from South Africa.

Yrene Dee

Olga

Hello!You wrote a wonderful note !!! thank you for this material! I have a question for you, I lived in Toronto as a tourist for 6 months, got a driving license in Ontario G2, after extending my tourist visa I moved to Vancouver, and if I understood correctly, here to exchange my driving license from Ontario to local driver’s license I can not, becouse I need to have a status( PR or wirk, study permit) if is it a true what driver’s license can I drive? what can I use in BC -G2 driving license or driving license from my country? could you comment on this, please? is it true that I can not exchange my driving license from Ontario to the local being in the status of a tourist? and the second question is if I can not do the local Vancouver driving license can I buy a car with Ontario driving license and ride them or already for the driving license from my country? The catch is that I’ve been in Canada for more than 6 months now! thank you in advance for your response, sorry about my English

Yrene Dee

Intrepidtoo

Having recently completed a 50,000km road trip through 30 countries from Australia to the UK, we’re now planning the next stage of the journey, a 6 month circumnavigation of North America, this time in an EV. Starting out in April somewhere on the west coast (Canada or US) we plan to drive north as far as we can through BC and Yukon, to Alaska if possible, then across Canada to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia before heading down the US east coast to Georgia and across to New Orleans and the canyons of Arizona and Utah, returning to LA (or BC) in late October. Whilst the initial plan was to ship my ICE car from Sydney it would be way more cool although somewhat more challenging to do it in an EV.

As we are as yet unfamiliar with the practicalities of Tesla ownership, and contemplating a trip well beyond the supercharger network, any advice as to logistics would be very much appreciated. For example, assuming no one will be foolish enough to rent us a Tesla for the trip, if we were to buy, say, a used 3-4 yo S85 from Tesla in BC with say 50-60km, and then sell it again six months later when it might have 90km, what sort of net cost might we be looking at? Are the sales taxes in BC really a straight 15-17% which would make it totally prohibitive to buy in Canada?

How dependable are L2 public or private charging points shown on OCM, especially in remote locations. Obviously we wouldn’t want to get to ones such as those in Whitehorse, Yukon, Fermont, Quebec or Fairbanks, AK with only 10% charge left only to find they’re abandoned, out of order or non-existent.

How practical is it to use power in RV parks, small workshops or motels and what sort of connectors/adaptors would we need to take to give us maximum charging flexibility?

We plan to make use of a number of ferries, eg Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, Argentia NF to Sydney NS etc. How far in advance do these need to be booked, can we get by with a one or two days in advance outside of peak holiday times?

All advice gratefully received.

Anila

After I visited Toronto I had a problem selling my car. I listed for 2 weeks on Autotrader and Kijiji and got flooded with emails and lowball offers. I kept my phone number and address private because I didn’t want to receive calls and visitors.
So, I replied to all emails but all complained about something. I even had people asking 80% discount or request me to bring the car to their house in Barrie or Mississauga. Long story short I sold it into a car buying service, sellmycar.ca. I got less than asking price but my time and privacy are very important. Easy to buy but not that easy to sell. Live and learn.

Stephen Startup

This is such a great article! There is so much contradictory information online about all of this. I still have a few questions before my trip this Summer. If the FB group is still active could you accept my request to join?
Thanks again, if only I’d found this earlier I wouldn’t have had to have read through so many posts and sites of uninformed guesswork!